Single-Use Bag Ordinance

The City of Richmond is dedicated to environmental sustainability and community health. The City of Richmond adopted a Single-Use Bag Ordinance to decrease the use of single-use plastic and paper bags. Plastic bags litter our streets, waterways, and shoreline. They do not easily biodegrade and are a persistent pollutant. The City of Richmond aims to decrease the use of single-use paper and plastic bags and promote the use of reusable bags.

Effective January 1, 2014:

Prohibits the distribution of single-use plastic bags in retail establishments at the point of sale for all retail establishments except restaurants. This includes department stores, clothing stores, liquor stores, book stores, specialty stores, drug stores, convenience stores, etc. Note: Restaurants, take-out food establishments, or any other businesses that receive their revenue primarily from the sale of food cooked or otherwise prepared at the establishment would be exempt from the ordinance;

Requires retail establishments to charge to all customers a minimum of ten ($0.10) cents for each paper or reusable bag distributed at the point of sale;

Provide for a penalty to the business owner of $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second violation within a 24-consecutive month period, and $1,000 for the third and any additional violation within any 24-consecutive month period (consistent with Chapter 2.62 of the Richmond Municipal Code);

An exception to the ban on single-use bags would be made for plastic or paper bags that are used by customers or the retail establishment to protect or contain raw meat, fresh produce, food prepared at the establishment, or other goods that must be protected from moisture, damage, or contamination, and that are typically placed inside a carryout bag at the point of sale; and

Business Resources

California Proposition 67

As of November 8, 2016, grocery stores, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores cannot provide single-use plastic carryout bags to their customers. Reusable grocery bag or recycled paper bag may be provided to a customer at the point of sale at a charge of at least 10 cents.